Talib Kweli Announces Gravitas Release Date, Reveals Artwork

blame it on ShakeOctober 4, 2013

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Although his fifth studio album Prisoners of Conscious was just released in May, Talib Kweli is planning the release of album number six for the same calendar year. On December 15th, fans will be able to purchase Gravitas directly from the Brooklyn rapper as he's decided to kill the middleman.

When you pre order my newest project, Gravitas, available Dec 15th, you will be buying it directly from me, no middleman, and I will now have a direct relationship with you. Who needs this industry when we have each other. The technology exists for me to have this relationship with the fans, and vice versa. It is a grand experiment. Let’s go for it!

Pre-orders are already available on KweliClub.com, Talib's new site that he created to build a stronger relationship between him and his fans.

Imagine me being able to look up every member of my fanbase on my iPhone and actually know who they are on a personal level. This is the dream I've always had. To be able to actually recognize you at the meet & greet. To be able to actually know how you were feeling yesterday because I'm following you on Instagram and Twitter. That why I've started this club.

Most people are only worried about sales figures and sales volume. I am worried about you - the people whose money make my dream possible. I want to be able to say thank you, not just to a huge group of anonymous fans, but to specific ones that actually care about my career and the art that I'm sharing with the world.

@whocares his past couple albums have been pretty mediocre, probably ain't even gon check for this one.

who cares

@Word Up - So it's not just me? He just sounds so unfocused lately. He builds up these albums like they're so conceptual and amazing, but he hasn't been able to follow through. I don't know. It's kinda sad to me.

jwii

On POC track 1 and track 2 should've been one song and that was easily the highlight aside from the single with Kendrick Lamar & Curren$y. Rest of it it was wack.

Take ya time and let Jean Grae drop.

jwiii

And, while i think it's smart to eliminate middle men who obfuscate the process by not contributing, i don't care about this personal marketing bullshit. I don't want to know you. I just want dope ass music that's reflective of you and who you are but I don't personally want to be on a first name basis. We ain't kicking it. Make a dope fucking album and I'll buy it.

runt

Dude hasn't put out a dope album since Ear Drum.

And this personal marketing shit is weird.

dirk

Great idea. Let the man do his own thing, stop hating.

Ryuk

@Wordup & @Whocares its not just you guys.

RyanB

This is an amazing idea, that if it works and gets him paid well, could continue to help change the way music is created and sold. Eliminate the record labels and the bullshit and pressure. Beautiful. And every Talib album is solid at the least, his 2010 Reflection Eternal album is a modern classic. Ya'll little kids are funny, haha. So many young'n's on 2Dope, LOL!

who cares

@RyanB - No one here said his albums are trash, just underwhelming. Excuse us for actually listening to the music instead of just co-signing something because of the name on the cover art. I also love your assumption that we're all "young'n's" simply because we felt his last few albums haven't been overly impressive. I don't know about the other posters, but I'm 21 and have been listening to Kweli for years.

Glance

That artwork is dope!

Tea

Y'all are tripping. POC is a great album. Cats do their damndest to downplay Talib's music. Cats half ass listen and declare it mediocre. If his last 2 albums weren't hitting, why are you still checking? I'm hype for this but I need to know the details. Is this coming out on CD as well? Is KweliClub.com the only place to get it? I'll wait for more information to drop before I toss a pre order but I'm always on the look out for more Talib Kweli.